


Man's Best Friend

by EyesOverEons



Category: Bleach
Genre: Dogs, Drabble, Friendship, Gen, Post-TYBW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29673954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EyesOverEons/pseuds/EyesOverEons
Summary: There were two things that Captain Tetsuzaemon Iba never left his room without: his favorite pair of shades, and his faithful canine companion.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 5





	Man's Best Friend

There were two things that Captain Tetsuzaemon Iba never left his room without: his favorite pair of shades, and his faithful canine companion: Koji. The brown and white dog shadowed his steps wherever he went, a permanent fixture in the Seventh. A white bandanna with an iris flower stamped in black was tied loosely around the dog's neck, just in case the two got separated. Iba didn't want someone mistaking his friend for some common street mutt.

Newer recruits often did a double-take upon first meeting their captain. After all, there weren't many captains that regularly walked around with their pets. But the newcomers would soon realize that that it was normal and that none of the higher-ups complained. It was just how things were in the division.

The dog followed Tetsuzaemon everywhere: home, work, casual outings, occasionally into battle (not that there had been any fights that warranted a captain's strength for quite some time. If Iba was there, Koji was not far behind. None of the other captains said anything when Head Commander Kyoraku added a large pillow to their usually sparse meeting room, giving the dog a soft place to lay down while they all talked.

Occasionally, a younger shinigami from another division would make a jeering comment at the canine and the shinigami of the Seventh would all jump to defend their captain and the noble beast. What they didn't know is that the bully was always swiftly reprimanded by their own superiors. People learned very quickly not to speak ill of the dog.

The official story was that Komamura Sajin gave his life in a heroic act of sacrifice protecting the Gotei 13 from the Quincy invasion. He died a hero, tragic but noble. Iba had found and adopted a dog as a form of remembrance: a living memorial for the seventh to ensure no member ever forgot what true courage, loyalty, and selflessness was. The fact that Koji vaguely resembled the former captain was purely coincidental. Or maybe reincarnation and fate had something to do with it. There were a lot of theories tossed about among the lower ranks.

Only a few people knew the _actual_ reason.

Iba sighed, stopping his paperwork to look at the animal curled up next to him. Idly, he reached down and scratched behind the dog's ear, earning a lazy tail wag and a contented chuff in response.

"You doing okay, Sajin?" It was only when the two were alone that he addressed the dog by his actual name.

Sajin yawned.

Iba reached over and scratched Sajin's ears again.

When he had first lost his captain, he had done everything he could to get him back. Urahara had thrown himself at the problem with near-reckless fervor. Not to be outdone, Kurotsuchi had redirected his own focus towards solving the same issue. Iba had trekked back to the cave where Sajin had performed the humanization ritual; it was empty. Everyone who knew what happened tried their best, but one by one, all efforts came up short.

It had taken a while for Iba to get used to it. For weeks he had refrained from petting the dog, forbidding anyone else also from doing so. It seemed like it would be demeaning to the memory of the one-proud captain. However, Iba soon realized the distinctly sad look Sajin gave him when his displayed affection wasn't recriprocrated. Iba had soon realized that Sajin was happy. He was calm and without the weight of the world on his shoulders or the judgemental eyes on his back. This was almost like a peaceful retirement. A happier end than most captains faced.

Sajin rested his head on Iba's lap, letting out a soft sigh as a hand smoothed down the fur of his back.

Iba smiled.

Nothing could be done to return Iba's friend to his former self, but at least the two could still provide each other comfort and companionship.

**Author's Note:**

> Koji (康司): "Peace" and "Officer/Boss" Alternatively, a shortened form of [Ko]momura Sa[ji]n


End file.
